


From A Distance

by lha



Category: Star Trek: Discovery
Genre: Gen, Mirror Universe
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-22
Updated: 2018-01-22
Packaged: 2019-03-07 22:46:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 813
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13445001
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lha/pseuds/lha
Summary: Set in the Mirror Universe sometime between the end of Despite Yourself and the denouement of The Wolf Inside.Gabriel Lorca sees things from a distance thanks to the Agonizer Booth.





	From A Distance

At some point Gabriel began to drift internally, his mind dissociating from the constant unrelenting pain to find relief in distance from reality.  He had enough knowledge and experience of both torture and endurance to know that these people were masters; that he would not be allowed to succumb to the merciful oblivion of unconsciousness never mind the release of death but with this distance, he could admire for the level of expertise they were demonstrating.  He spent a period of time, he had no way of judging how long, considering whether the blood he’d left on his ready room door would now be smeared all over the inside of the bulkhead that it retracted into.  Idly, he considered the change in Cadet Tilly as she’d come to terms with the role she’d had to play in this strange new world and he wondered whether the core of strength and conviction he’d known she had might run deeper than he’d realised.  His mind drifted to Katrina but as though on cue the physical world interrupted and he was suddenly aware that he was no longer standing.  

 

When they did turn the booth off, whatever tension his muscles had managed to maintain in the rigor of agony, seemed to ebb and as though his limbs were made of jelly he slid to the floor.  His clothes were ringing with sweat but as he came back to himself it was the distinctive scent of urine that assaulted him.  Gabriel had long ago lost any shred of dignity about his own bodily functions, there was no room for embarrassment in so many situations that he thought he was immune but as he blinked and his vision returned to reveal Burnham standing in front of him, a pang of something resembling shame ran through him.  Her face was blank, her stance all business as she watched him down her nose.  

 

“Have him cleaned and brought to my quarters,” she said, her tone flat.

 

“Of course, Captain,” the flunky replied and gestured for two guards to come forward.  They opened the door and lifted him beneath his arms, the movement seeming to set off a cascade along his nerves and somehow the waves of pain seemed worse now.  

 

“Shit!” One of them complained as Gabriel began vomiting stomach acid down his own front and across the deck.  Every muscle in his body seemed to be trembling, twitching entirely outside his control as they continued to drag him bodily into a side room.  He knew he should be observing, trying to recall every detail as they couldn’t know what would be useful, but he couldn’t focus and when the threw him into a shower, the light was bright enough to leave him functionally blinded.  There were hands removing his clothing, complaining about the state he was in, bantering about how much damage they could get away with doing.  

 

“Burnham’s obviously got plans for him,” one of them said as they pushed him under a stream of water, “she’ll spot anything.”

 

“He’s pretty beat-up already, maybe…”

 

“Not worth it mate, just not worth it.”  Gabriel drifted again, entirely unconcerned by the outcome of their discussion as he wasn’t even certain he could feel anything.  The water falling round him didn’t seem to be touching his skin, though the pools on the floor were tainted with blood and other things which suggested otherwise.  Something hit him in the face and he raised a hand automatically to pull it away.  His fingers closed awkwardly around the cloth and he blinked at it waiting for the next thought to arrive.

 

“Wash!”  The instruction sounded like it had been repeated.  Gabriel looked from the shape he thought was the guard back at the cloth before suddenly remembering what it was he had to do.  He raised his hand back to his face and ran it over his eyes.  The routine of the action seemed to spark something though and he started cleaning himself as well as he could without being able to push himself away from where he was leaning up against the tiled wall.  Experience told him he couldn’t know when he’d next get the chance so he tried his best with his uncoordinated jerky limbs before allowing his head to fall back and his mouth open to drink the water.  

 

“Enough,” came a firm instruction and the drying cycle was engaged.  

 

They had to help him stand and to redress but when they led him out he was able to help propel himself along the corridor.  His head hung as they waited outside the door to the Captain’s quarters and when they entered, he kept his eyes averted.  Burnham dismissed the guards while Gabriel focussed staying on his feet, as the door closed the reserves ran dry and only a strong arm around his back controlled his rapid descent to the floor.  

  
  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> I'm not sure whether this will remain a stand alone, and that probably depends on how the next episode goes but I hope you've enjoyed and as ever, I'd love to hear your thoughts here or on twitter @LHA_again  
> thanks  
> Lx


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